Pubdate: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 Source: Tulsa World (OK) Copyright: 2001 World Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.tulsaworld.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/463 DRUG WARS Spend The Money At Home The pesticide attack on Colombia's drug farms continues and the results are at best dubious and at worst dangerous. Reports have come in that children in southern Colombia have developed sores on their skin, potatoes and onions are dying, citizens have become sick and drinking water is contaminated. Politicians, Indian groups and farmers blame the problems on the U.S.-funded anti-narcotics program that dumps glyphosate -- the chemical used in herbicide products such as RoundUp -- on Colombian farms growing coca and heroin poppies. President Bush's $1.3 billion Plan Colombia is a coordinated assault with the government of Colombia. This plan faces the same problems as other such plans. When coca or poppy farmers' crops are destroyed, they simply move their operations. The ones who pay the heaviest price are the families who raise legitimate crops and must remain on their land. And there is a growing suspicion that some of the $1.3 billion is being siphoned off by government officials for their own gain or to bankroll a military that has strong ties to right-wing paramilitary groups and a questionable human rights record. The drug problems will never be eased or erased as long as there is a demand. Whether the chemicals being dropped on Colombia are causing the problems there is yet to be proven. But it is almost a certainty that $1.3 billion spent in the United States for treatment and drug education would do a lot more good and cause a lot less harm. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart